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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The water is too ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pop — music
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cold — an illness
  5. staff — employees
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. staff — a stick
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fine — all right
  13. saw — the tool
  14. suit — clothes
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pop — to visit
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fine — high quality
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pop — soda
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cold — not warm

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com